Oct 22, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) during warmups prior to the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Although the Badgers are the favorites to win the Big Ten West in 2023 under new head coach Luke Fickell, UW only had eight representatives, which might seem like a lot on paper, but Athlon Sports goes four teams deep when making their predictions.
Wisconsin Badgers Who Received Honors From Athlon Sports
The headliner from Wisconsin was Braelon Allen. The junior running back was named a First-Team All-Big Ten player on offense by Athlon Sports. Allen enters the 2023 season coming off a year where he carried the ball 230 times for 1,242 yards (5.4 YPC) and 11 touchdowns. He also caught a career-high 13 passes for 104 yards.
In addition, three total Wisconsin football players appeared on the second team All-Big Ten offense and defense: wide receiver Chimere Dike, offensive tackle Jack Nelson, and inside linebacker Maema Njonmeta.
This is a fair projection for Dike, given UW’s new offensive scheme and that he finished No. 9 in the conference last season in receiving yards with 689 on 47 catches with six touchdowns.
I can live with Nelson on the second team for now, but I firmly believe that someone who has been a mainstay on the Badgers offensive line for the past two seasons, playing over 1,500 snaps at left tackle, will have his best season yet and head to the NFL after the season.
Where Athlon Sports Disrespected Wisconsin Football
Now, onto the more disrespectful portion of the Athlon Sports All-Big Ten teams. The four players already mentioned were no-brainer additions to those lists, but the lack of players on the third and fourth teams leaves me with an axe to grind.
Wisconsin football center/guard Tanor Bortolini made the cut on the third-team All-Big Ten offense. He was an honorable mention selection last season and had 1,106 snaps of experience as one of the most versatile offensive linemen in the entire conference.
Then, you won’t find another Badgers player until the fourth-team defense/special teams, where C.J. Goetz and Hunter Wohler make an appearance, along with kicker Nathaniel Vakos.
How SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai, a proven commodity, doesn’t at least make the fourth team ahead of Penn State’s Drew Allar, a player who hasn’t even taken the field yet, is beyond me.
Some other notable Wisconsin football snubs (because there are four teams) would be safety Kamo’i Latu, inside linebacker Jordan Turner, and cornerback Alexander Smith.
It’s May, so I shouldn’t be reading this far into things, but come fall, I’m confident Wisconsin will change its national perception.
Sep 10, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers mascot Bucky Badger prior to the game against the Washington State Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Expectations for the Wisconsin football program are sky-high entering the 2023 season. Part of that is Luke Fickell taking over as head coach, and another part is Phil Longo joining his staff and implementing his air raid offensive attack, bringing the Badgers into the 21st century.
And while that’s all well and good, Wisconsin needed someone capable of elevating the quarterback room to take the next step offensively. So the coaching staff went portaling this offseason and came out with a proven option to lead the charge.
In two seasons starting at SMU, Mordecai threw for 7,152 yards, 72 touchdowns, 22 interceptions, and had a 66.4% completion percentage. Mordecai’s arm talent and experience, coupled with the new offensive system, could lead him to break several passing records in his lone season in Madison.
Tanner Mordecai Could Re-Write the Badgers History Books
Mordecai was a highly recruited quarterback out of high school, and he chose to attend the University of Oklahoma. He redshirted his freshman year and then served as a backup quarterback for two seasons behind Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. He later transferred to SMU, where he went crazy and put himself on the NFL’s radar.
Mordecai’s transfer to Wisconsin has generated a lot of excitement among Badgers fans. The team has long been known for its strong running game, but with Mordecai at the helm, they could have a potent passing attack as well.
Phil Longo, the Badgers new offensive coordinator, is known for his air raid offense, which relies heavily on the passing game. This could be a perfect fit for Mordecai, who has shown that he can make accurate throws and read defenses well.
If the 6-foot-3, 214-pound signal-caller can replicate his performances from the past two seasons or even come close; he has a chance to break several long-standing passing records at Wisconsin.
The school’s single-season passing record is 3,175 yards, set by Russell Wilson in 2011 (the only Wisconsin football quarterback to eclipse 3k). Under coach Longo, his starting QBs have a five-year average of 3,704 passing yards per season. Also, consider that Mordecai threw for over 3,500 yards in the past two seasons.
Mordecai’s impressive arm strength, plentiful opportunities, and accuracy could help him surpass that mark. Of course, there will be challenges for the Texas native as he adjusts to a new offense and a new team.
Wisconsin Football is in Good Hands
The Big Ten is known for its physical, hard-hitting defenses, and Mordecai will likely face some tough tests on the field. However, he has shown the talent and the drive to succeed at the highest level of college football.
Overall, Tanner Mordecai is a quarterback to watch in the upcoming season. His transfer to the Wisconsin football program has generated a lot of excitement, and if he can replicate his performances from the past two seasons, he could break the single-season passing record.
With Phil Longo’s air raid offense and Mordecai’s impressive arm talent, the Badgers could have one of the most potent passing attacks in the Big Ten if everything breaks right.
Nov 26, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; A Wisconsin Badgers cheerleader carries the Wisconsin flag following a score during the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
It’s been a busy couple of days for the Wisconsin football program, especially on the recruiting front, but fear not because BadgerNotes can help get you back up to speed with a roundup of some important Badgers news you may have missed.
Wisconsin Badgers Trying to Flip a Defensive Line Commit
According to the industry-generated composite rankings, he’s the No. 88 DL in the country and the No. 39 player in Ohio.
Brewu, a 6-foot-2, 270-pound three-star defensive lineman, registered 25 tackles and 12.5 sacks for Thomas Worthington High School as a junior.
It’s unknown whether or not Wisconsin has a real chance to flip the ACC commit, but from what I’m hearing, the Badgers coaching staff is trying to get him on campus for an official visit in June.
Wisconsin Football Makes the Cut for 2024 Offensive Tackle
Wisconsin football currently holds just one offensive line commit in the 2024 recruiting cycle: four-star OT Derek Jensen, who pledged to the Badgers in April. However, they still need several more bodies at the position and made the cut for one of their top remaining targets.
Three-star offensive tackle Ronan O’Connell announced his top three schools: Clemson, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Truly thankful for every school that has recruited me up to this point. With that being said here’s my top 3 schools! Recruitment still open. pic.twitter.com/PCsJtk7dwH
According to the 247Sports composite rankings, O’Connell is the No. 39 OT in the 2024 recruiting class and the No. 13 player in Tennessee.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Tennessee native probably projects best at guard in college and has an official visit on the books to visit Madison on June 9.
Other Wisconsin Football News
After Wisconsin football coaches flew out to Maryland to watch 2024 cornerback Lloyd Irvin workout in person, the coaching staff extended him a scholarship offer, and he wasted no time repaying the favor, scheduling an official visit to Madison shortly after that.
Irvin, a 6-foot-3 unranked cornerback prospect who holds offers from Michigan, Maryland, Boston College, Michigan State, West Virginia, and several others, will be on campus for an official visit the weekend of June 9-11.
“They’re a big contender,” Irvin said. “This coaching staff at Wisconsin has experience getting long cornerbacks into the league and helping them develop.”
Although he’s not currently ranked in the industry-generated recruiting rankings, some major schools are involved or circling, so this could be a sneaky talent worth locking down to develop.
It would be an understatement to say that the Badgers’ defensive coaching staff has a type with their defensive backs. If you don’t have plus size and length, you can forget about getting an offer from Wisconsin at this point.
Sep 17, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Julius Davis (32) rushes with the football during the fourth quarter against the New Mexico State Aggies at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The transfer portal has become an increasingly popular route for college players to find new opportunities and see if the grass is, in fact, greener on the other side. And just like every other school, Wisconsin football lost its fair share of players during the coaching transition from Paul Chryst to Luke Fickell.
Several former Badgers have entered the portal this off-season in search of a better system fit, more playing time, or potential NIL opportunities on the open market.
After recently taking a look at where former Wisconsin coaches found new homes, I figured it might be worthwhile to see where the Badgers who entered the transfer portal will play in 2023, starting with the defense.
This is a special one! Beyond thankful to receive an offer from my dream school! With that being said, I am also committing to Stanford University to finish out my athletic career and education! #GoStanfordpic.twitter.com/UV7b7Z1bsx